No BS4 Vehicle after June 2020, Government advises Supreme Court: Here’s more

No BS4 Vehicle after June 2020, Government advises Supreme Court: Here’s more

While the Supreme court is yet to pass a judgement on the matter, the government has advised that no BS4 vehicles should be sold after June 30, 2020. The grace period of three months should be granted to ensure manufacturers can sell all car produced before April 1, 2020.

The story around the introduction of BS-6 vehicles in India continues to evolve, with a new government decision ordaining that auto-manufacturers should sell all of their B6 Vehicle before June 2020, being met with some opposition from vehicle manufacturers. The Plea was raised by the manufacturers in the Supreme Court on Monday. The court noted Advocate Aparajita Singh, an amicus curia assisting the court in the pollution case advising Justice Madan B. Lokur in saying that people are presently living in Gas-Chamber like conditions with pollution levels even affecting the foetus’ asking that a grace period will not be granted to manufacturers.

Singh continued to contend that the government is responsible for citizens health and welfare, and cannot allow citizens to die in the face of a health emergency. In response, car-makers argued that this was a herculean feat in terms of changes in pollution norms considering that India was leapfrogging from the BS IV emission norms to BS VI. The BS-IV norms were brought into effect in 2017. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) A.N.S Nadkarni, appearing on behalf of the Central Government in the case, meanwhile asserted that the government was of the opinion that a three to six month period would be sufficient for manufacturers to sell all their BS4 vehicle produced till March 31, 2020. The bench which was also chaired by Justice S. Abdul Nazeer and Justice Deepak Gupta is considering giving time till June 30, 2020, to automobile manufacturers to sell their BS-IV compliant four-wheelers manufactured till March 31, 2020. For heavy transport vehicles, the grace period will extend to 30th September 2020 in accordance with the government recommendations.

While the court is yet to pass a judgement, amicus curiae, in this case, has submitted a report from Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, where doctors have said they have not seen people having pink lungs in Delhi. The court is likely to adjourn soon to pass a definitive judgement on the matter.